Kenya says 25 pc of Mau reclaimed

• Government was providing relief food for the transition period and transport to ferry the settlers, says committee.

• The ICS is in-charge of coordinating the conservation of Mau through various line ministries.

At least 25 percent of the Mau Forest Complex has been recovered under the ongoing restoration efforts.

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The Mr Noor Hassan Noor-headed Interim Coordinating Secretariat said the efforts were going on well.

"The restoration of the Mau forests complex continues to make positive gains with at least 25 percent  of the forest having been recovered,” a statement from ICS on the progress made on removal settlers from the forest said.

In Eburu area, the ICS said 8,715ha  have been restored, Likia Extension (950ha), Londiani Forest (114 ha), Mau Narok (797 ha) and South West Mau (19,000 ha). This brings the total number of acreage recovered to 29,036 ha.

It said many people were voluntarily vacating the gazetted South West Mau Forest Reserve area, “even as dissenting voices seek to politicise the relocation plans.”

“The Government through the Provincial Administration and the Ministry of Special Programs has been profiling the illegal squatters to establish their origins and register them most of whom, have expressed interest to go back to their homes,” it said.

It said the government was providing relief food for the transition period and transport to ferry the settlers.

The statement said 21 title deeds from different parts of the Mau have been surrendered to the Ministry of Lands Districts Officers around the complex.

At least 105 illegal settlers, vacating from the Mau forest have also been profiled and are to be ferried to their place of origin.

At least 10 tons of maize, five tons of beans and 450 kg of oils have been distributed to the squatters, the ICS said.

The Secretariat added that the implementing ministries including that of Lands, Forestry and Wildlife, Environment, Special Programs, Water and Irrigation, Regional Development, Education and Internal Security and Provincial Administration were providing the necessary logistics to see the forest successfully rehabilitated.

It added that records from profiling indicate most of the people come by day to the camps near Mau masquerading as people relocated from the forest.

“Records indicate they go home by night. The people have been incited to go to camps by the local politicians in the hope of getting relief and possible compensation,” the ICS said.

The relocation exercise at the South West Mau which covers 19,000 hectares represents the second phase of the ICS’s plan of action, as recommended by the Mau task force. The task force recommendations were passed by Parliament.  Some of the recommendations also included that illegal settlers at the Mau would not claim compensation.

The removal of squatters from Mau which started last week has reignited sharp differences between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his deputy in ODM, Agriculture minister William Ruto, among other Rift Valley MPs.